I stand speechless in the gaping hole where the door used to be, watching the Code Enforcer drive off, leaving me enveloped in the cloud of toxic exhaust fumes billowing out of his silver SUV. In my hand is the violation notice spelling out the terms and the fee. Around my feet there is splintered wood, shards of broken glass and a puddle of water... My clothes are still wet although the dripping has stopped, but I smell no mint, and no lime, nor anything else delicious and refreshing.
This reminds me of what took place in the back yard, just short few minutes ago...Or was it centuries? Being buried in the sinkhole, the living water, the indescribable shower from the outside and the inside, the joy, the loud banging, the unexpected forced entry of the Code Enforcer, the fine...What was that all about?!!! If somebody was making a movie, or writing a story about this, I would object,
Implausible! Cut it out! Life just doesn't happen at such insane velocity!
I can help you with putting the door back up. The Gardener's calm voice jerks me out of my paralysis.
I have the tools in the truck, he continues as if blowing the doors off the hinges on people's houses is the most natural, daily occurrence in our suburban neighborhood. But we may need to run to Home Depot for the replacement of the broken pieces. We could stop by Subway on the way back - it's almost lunch time.
His unperturbed presence somehow makes the mess, the chaos and the confusion feel almost ... manageable? Less of an insurmountable K2 size mountain and more like a workout in the foothills - a strenuous workout nonetheless, but still a workout. With him, life is not only a wild, unpredictable adventure, but an adventure with a purpose. Sometimes, it feels like a boot camp, a military training ground where the measure of pain is the measure of strength built and endurance developed. I am willing to put up with pain when I know it is not meaningless.
Sometimes I wonder if I am the only one on the planet whose life seems to go from one colossal disaster to another? How did I earn such cosmic favor? But, regardless of whether I am the only one or not, I sure am glad I have the Gardener from Outer Space in my life, for without him, I don't even want to think where I would be on a day like this.
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